Mechanical pulse storing and releasing device



V. E- GEX April 19, 1966 MECHANICAL PULSE STORING AND RELEASING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1963 I FIJI- l:

ATTORNEY April 19, 1966 v. E. GEX 3,246,536

MECHANICAL PULSE STORING AND RELEASING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AAAAAA I HHHl -il ATTORNEY United States Patent Ohio Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 307,257 Claims. (Cl. 74-568) This invention relates to a mechanical pulse storing and releasing device or a time delay mechanism for automatic machinery. More particularly, the invention relates to a mechanism capable of receiving a signal indicating the presence of a defective or missing item at one station on an automatic machine. After a relatively short time interval, the mechanism is capable of generating a pulse which is transmitted to a second station on the machine simultaneously with the arrival of the defective or missing item at the second station where corrective action is taken.

Time delay units of various kinds have been available commercially for many years. Generally speaking, these units receive a signal or pulse indicating the need for corrective action at one station of an automatic machine and, after a short interval, transmit a second signal or pulse to another station on the machine where corrective action is taken. For example, electronic time delay devices which have magnetizable drums andmagnetic pickup heads are well known as are devices which include electronic counting means. Similarly, mechanical time delay devices having plungers which are moved axially in a rotating disk are also in commercial use. All of these present and prior devices are complex and quite expensive. In addition, they are relatively inflexible and subject to operating difficulties which require a high degree of maintenance as well as highly trained personnel to properly maintain them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and economical time delay mechanism which can be adapted for use on almost any kind of automatic machine with a minimum of complications.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a time delay unit which is simple in structure and therefore can be maintained with a minimum of effort by relatively unskilled operating personnel.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a time delay unit which can be adjusted so that the time delay interval in terms of machine cycles can be varied to accommodate any given set of operating conditions.

The nature and substance of the invention can be broadly summarized as comprising a time delay unit or mechanical pulse storing and releasing device comprising a timing element advanced at a predetermined rate. The element bears a plurality of equally spaced, normally coplanar, flexible spokes of substantially equal length, which move along a predetermined circuitous path as the element moves. A stationary deflecting rail is positioned in close lateral proximity to the normal plane of the spokes in overlapping relation to at least their tips and extends over a substantial portion of the path of the spokes. Adjacent the leading end of the rail is a means for deflecting any one of the spokes laterally from its normal plane in response to a signal or pulse suitably applied thereto. The spoke so deflected is received by the rail and maintained thereby in deflected position throughout the length of the rail. At some predetermined point along the rail from its leading end, there is provided a sensing means in a position to be contacted by the deflected spoke and actuated as a result of such contact to generate or release a signal or pulse.

Although the unit of the present invention has broad utility and is adapted for association with a variety of different types of machines requiring automatic control by means of a pulse storage instrumentality, it finds particular application in association with a machine wherein items or articles are conveyed at spaced, predetermined distances apart, and are monitored and inspected while being so conveyed. In order to facilitate a more complete understanding of the operation of the unit of the present invention, and, more especially, provide a specific illustration of a complete mode of operation, the present invention will be described, for purposes of illustration, in the latter context. Thus, to relate the broad characterization of the invention to this context, the timing element might be advanced in timed relationship to the machine which the unit is to control, the spoke deflecting means might be operated in response to an electrical signal furnished by conventional monitoring devices, the spacing between the spokes might be selected to coincide with the spaces between items being processed, and the sensing means so located as to correspond to the position along the machine of a mechanism capable of taking the desired corrective action and so coupled with that mechanism as to supply the initiating signal.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the time delay'unit, looking at the timing wheel with its radially extending spokes.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the time delay unit with the guide rail and deflecting rail in cross section and y a portion of the timing wheel broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the sensing switch taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referrnig now to the drawings for a detailed descrip tion of one embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that the entire unit is mounted on the base plate elements 10 and 11. The front support plate 12 and the rear support plate 13 may be welded or otherwise secured to the base plate elements 10 and 11. The transverse ribs 14 and 15 interconnect the front support plate 12 and rear support plate 13 and are also secured to the base plate elements 10 and 11 in order to give the entire frame of the unit a rigid structure.

A shaft 16 is mounted for rotation in the bearings 17 and 18 (see FIG. 2) which are attached, respectively, to the front support plate 12 and the rear support plate 13. A timing element in the form of a wheel 19 is attached to the end of the shaft 16 on the outside of the frame unit. As shown in FIGURE 1, the timing element or wheel is provided with a plurality of radially extending, equally-spaced spokes 20. As shown in FIGURE 2, the spokes 20 are normally coplanar. In the operation of the invention, it is necessary at times to deflect one or more of the spokes 20 from their normal plane. To achieve this, it has been found that resilient plastic materials such as nylon, and the like, can be sufliciently deflected and yet have enough inherent resiliency to be selfrestoring to their original normally coplanar condition.

A large drive sprocket 21 and a small sprocket 22 are commonly mounted on the stub shaft 23 which extends inwardly from the rear support plate 13 (FIG. 2). A sprocket 24 is secured to the shaft 16 and is driven from the small sprocket 22 by means of the chain 25. The drive sprocket 21 is driven in timed relationship from and with the machine which is under the influence of the mechanical pulse storing and releasing unit.

A deflecting rail 26 is attached to the front support aaaassa plate 12 by means of the brackets 27. The deflecting rail 26 has an inlet end 28 and an outlet end 29 as shown in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2 illustrates the close lateral proximity of the deflecting rail 26 to the ends of the spokes 20.

An annular guide rail 30 is mounted in close lateral proximity to the ends of the spokes 20. The guide rail 30 is held in place by the brackets 31 which are attached to the front support plate 12. The function of the guide rail 30 is to prevent the spokes 20 from whipping excessively particularly when, after deflection, they are being restored to their normally coplanar position in the timing element 19 as they leave the outlet end 29 of the deflecting rail 26.

A bracket 32 is attached to the upper end of the front support plate 12 as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. A support plate 33 is attached to the bracket 32. A normally de-energized control solenoid 34 which functions as a spoke deflecting means is attached to the support plate 33. The control solenoid 34 is normally maintained in its retracted position by means of the spring 35 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The inner end of the solenoid plunger is provided with a deflecting bar 36 which is best seen in both FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 3, a bracket 37 is attached to the inside of the front support plate 12 to support a pulse generating means in the form of a sensing switch 38 which is'normally open. The arcuate openings 39 and 40 in the support plate 12 permit circumferential adjustment of the sensing switch by means of the T-bolts 41. It will be noted that the sensing switch 38 is provided with a roller 42 which is ordinarily closely spaced from the deflecting rail 26 as best illustrated in FIGURE 3. In fact, the usual clearance between the roller 42 and the deflecting rail 26 is less than the thickness of the spokes 20 so that a deflected spoke will be able to close the switch 38 by contacting the roller 42 when in a deflected position behind the rail 26.

Operation Normally the timing element or wheel 19 is driven at substantially constant speed'and in timed relationship with the machine under control through the sprocket 21 and drive mechanism previously described. In the event of a missing or defective item on the machine, a sensing or monitoring device such as an electric eye or the like (not shown) is provided which,through conventional circuitry, momentarily supplies a pulse to the spoke deflecting means in the form of the control solenoid 34. This, causes the deflecting bar 36 to move to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 2, thereby bending the spoke which at that time is aligned therewith so it moves behind the deflecting rail 26 at its inlet end 28. As the deflected spoke rotates, the missing or defective item continues to move on the machine in synchronism with the rotating timing element 19 until it reaches a mechanism along the machine where the desired corrective action will be taken. The missing or defective item arrives at the mechanism on the machine for producing the desired corrective action at the same time that the deflected spoke 20 momentarily closes the switch 38. Thus, a signal or pulse is generated for transmittal to the mechanism on the machine which produces the desired corrective action (e.g. replacement, repair, removal, etc.)

. One of the important aspects of the invention is that the number of spokes 20 on the timing wheel 19 must be at least one greater than the number of spaces between the items being processed on the machine between the monitoring or inspection means and the mechanism for producing the corrective action. In addition, the number of spoke spaces between the control solenoid 34 and the sensing switch 38 must be equal to the number of spaces between the items at the inspection or monitoring means.

and the mechanism for taking corrective action.

' The spacing between the inspection or monitoring means on the machine and the mechanism for producing cor- .rective action can vary from a fraction of the spacing be-.

tween adjacent items moving on the machine upward to any number of spaces between items moving on the machine compatib-le with the machine design. In addition, it is possible to carry out two or more corrective operations for a single defective item at different points on the machine by merely adding the requisite number of control solenoids and sensing switches.

The invention has utility, for example, as a substitute for the sensing device illustrated and described in US. Patent 2,935,827 entitled Premium Feeder which issued on May 10, 1960, and is commonly owned by the assignee of the instant invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other applications for a time delay unit or mechanical pulse storing and releasing device of this general type can be found which will be highly beneficial to the operation of the machine in question.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A mechanical pulse storing and releasing device comprising:

(a) a timing element bearing a plurality of equally spaced, normally coplanar, flexible spokes of substantially equal length and being movable to carry said spokes in a predetermined circuitous path,

(b) means for moving said element at a predetermined rate,

(c) spoke deflecting means arranged at a point of said predetermined path, said deflecting means being effective in response to an applied pulse to deflect a spoke at said point laterally out of said normal plane,

(d) a stationary deflecting rail disposed in close lateral proximity to the normal plane of said spokes in overlapping relation to at least the tips of said spokes, said rail extending from adjacent the locus of said deflecting means along said path for a portion of its length to receive and maintain in deflected position a spoke deflected by said means, and

(e) pulse generating means situated at a predetermined point along said rail spaced from said deflecting means in the path of a deflected spoke, said generating means being actuated by contact therewith of a deflected spoke.

2. A mechanical pulse storing and releasing device as claimed in claim 1 including means for adjusting the arcuate distance between the spoke deflecting means and the pulse generating means.

3. A mechanical pulse storing and releasing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pulse generating means actuated by contact with a deflected spoke is a sensing switch having a roller at its end in close proximity to said stationary deflecting rail.

4. A mechanical pulse storing and releasing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the distance between the roller on the sensing switch and the stationary deflecting rail is less than the thickness of the spokes on the timing element.

5. A mechanical pulse storing and releasing device as claimed in claim 3 including means for adjusting the arcuate distance between the spoke deflecting means and the sensing switch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,824 9/1963 Grurnann 74568 BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MECHANICAL PULSE STORING AND RELEASING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A TIMING ELEMENT BEARING A PLURALITY OF EQUALLY SPACED, NORMALLY COPLANAR, FLEXIBLE SPOKES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH AND BEING MOVABLE TO CARRY SAID SPOKES IN A PREDETERMINED CIRCUITOUS PATH, (B) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ELEMENT AT A PREDETERMINED RATE, (C) SPOKE DEFLECTING MEANS ARRANGED AT A POINT OF SAID PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID DEFLECTING MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE IN RESPONSE TO AN APPLIED PULSE TO DEFLECT A SPOKE AT SAID POINT LATERALLY OUT OF SAID NORMAL PLANE, (D) A STATIONARY DEFLECTING RAIL DISPOSED IN CLOSE LATERAL PROXIMITY TO THE NORMAL PLANE OF SAID SPOKES IN OVERLAPPING RELATION TO AT LEAST THE TIPS OF SAID SPOKES, SAID RAIL EXTENDING FROM ADJACENT THE LOCUS OF SAID DEFLECTING MEANS ALONG SAID PATH FOR A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH TO RECEIVE AND MAINTAIN IN DEFLECTED POSITION A SPOKE DEFLECTED BY SAID MEANS, AND (E) PULSE GENERATING MEANS SITUATED AT A PREDETERMINED POINT ALONG SAID RAIL SPACED FROM SAID DEFLECTING MEANS IN THE PATH OF A DEFLECTED SPOKE, SAID GENERATING MEANS BEING ACTUATED BY CONTACT THEREWITH OF A DEFLECTED SPOKE. 